Professor Martin Daunton

Biography

Martin Daunton read economic history at the University of Nottingham from 1967 to 1970, and then completed a PhD at the University of Kent. His first academic post was lecturer in economic history at the University of Durham from 1973 to 1979, then he moved to University College London as Lecturer, Reader and finally Astor Professor of British History. He moved to Cambridge as Professor of Economic History and Fellow of Churchill College in 1997, and was Chairman of the Faculty of History and of the School of the Humanities and Social Sciences. From 2004 to 2014, he was Master of Trinity Hall, a post he continued to hold alongside the Professorship and, from 2012, the Headship of the School for a second period. As Master, he served on the University Council and as Secretary and Chair of the Colleges Committee representing the interests of all 31 colleges. As Head of School, he served on the General Board and many other committees, so that he was able to bring together the interests of college and University. He was also Chairman of the Syndics of the Fitzwilliam Museum. Beyond Cambridge, he was President of the Royal Historical Society for four years and a Trustee of the National Maritime Museum for eight years. He continues to be Chairman of the Leverhulme Trust Research Awards Advisory Committee, and a Commissioner of English Heritage. He has written extensively on the political economy of Britain since 1700, in particular issues dealing with public finance and social and economic policy, and he is currently completing a book on the economic government of the world since 1933, as well as editing a collection of essays on the funding of the European state since 1973.